EAST ICELAND
Asknes
Remote remains of a huge Norwegian whaling station that was once among the largest facilities of its kind in the world.
Hidden gemHistoryHikingNature
About Asknes
Norwegian operators established the Asknes whaling station around 1900. At its peak the facility employed roughly 200 people and was described as the largest whaling station of its kind in the world. Today industrial ruins remain beside the shore, reached on foot from the road through Mjóifjörður.
Our practical tips
✓The ruins make much more sense if you know that around 200 people once worked here.
✓Do not climb unstable industrial ruins.
✓Combine Asknes with the drive towards Dalatangi.
Getting there and visiting
Access
There is no road directly to the ruins. Asknes is reached on foot from Road 953 farther inside Mjóifjörður.